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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28029903">muse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanmarie/pseuds/sanmarie'>sanmarie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:13:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28029903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanmarie/pseuds/sanmarie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>prompts: "in the hands of the right person, one will surely shine their brightest."</p><p>san dances, y/n films. what could be a better pair than that?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi San/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>san is looking for a partner for his first project and seems like he found the right one.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>ever since he was little, san has shown his interest in art. he enjoyed simple activities like doodling and painting, also singing and dancing along when a song comes up on the telly. he also put an interest in instruments, when his teacher played a melodica in his kindergarten.</p><p>long story short, it was kind of obvious what his future preferences would be, but his parents made sure that he can try anything he's interested in. they didn't take his curiosity to shove a certain aspect into him. that way, the ever so cheerful boy bloomed gracefully.</p><p>now starting his first year as a performing art major in university, san couldn't be happier. sure, his journey is still a long way ahead, but he's grateful that he's made his way to finally be here. and the most important thing is that this is what he really wants to do for the rest of his life, he's sure of it.</p><p>san chose dance as his sub-major, which was not a surprising decision to his closest ones. they all supported him, wishing the best for him. so when the first task he got was to perform an original choreography, san was filled with excitement.</p><p>there's a lot of dance genres, and their professor said it's up to them, to express their feeling for the beginning of the semester. it is due for only the next week, which made some students groan dejectedly but not for san.</p><p>his only problem was, the professor told them to also record it. and not just any kind of recording, it has to be done in a pair with students from a cinematography major. the project will be their first portfolio that will determine 40% of their grade for this semester. so of course san had to pair with someone talented and he's sure the cinematography students felt the same way.</p><p>so now here he is, sitting at the cafeteria with his new friends, yunho and wooyoung. among them, wooyoung was the only one with a partner since his highschool friend, yeosang is a cinematography student as well.</p><p>"good luck finding a partner, you two." wooyoung teased, eyeing the two sulky boys in front of him.<br/>
"oh shut up, you're just lucky." san groaned, and yunho nodded along.<br/>
"it's not my fault that i am." wooyoung replied, slicking his hair back. "but i can still help you guys. yeosang will be here soon and let's see if he knows anyone."</p><p>not long after that, the said boy arrived. he introduced himself to san and yunho, who returned the gesture. then he sat down, and wooyoung explained the situation.</p><p>"hmm, i know some people that are still looking for a partner as well. but before i contact them, have you guys decide your concept?" he asked, then continued to explain what he meant by that.<br/>
"so it'll be easier for both sides. for example, i'm guessing wooyoung is going to pick b-boying, and since i've known him before it'll be easier for us."</p><p>yunho seemed to think to himself, opting for his choices. san decided to go for his shot.<br/>
"i want to ballet."</p><p>his friends' eyes widen at his answer, and san's confidence felt like it was crumbling. he knows that there's a prejudice against a male who does ballet, but he didn't expect to experience it at a learning institute where everyone should've to understand the art. but before his thoughts could get any deeper on that topic wooyoung shook his head.</p><p>"no, don't get us wrong. it's not that we were judging you, it's just that's kind of hard you know. and we only have a week. are you sure?" he explained, looking at yunho and yeosang to have their opinions and both nodded. at that, san felt relieved.</p><p>"i know, but i'm sure about this."</p><p>with that, yeosang then quickly get to his phone. he contacted his colleagues through their group chat, and when no one responded to it for a whole five minutes, san had almost given the idea up. but before he could change his mind, a notification popped up. someone responded, and upon realizing who the person was, yeosang beamed.</p><p>"wow, san, you're really lucky," he exclaimed, and san furrowed his brows. yeosang typed something into his phone, before shoving it to his face.</p><p>"this is your partner's work." yeosang said simply, but the admiration in his tone was clear. on yeosang's phone was a video waiting to be played, and san pressed the button. yunho immediately scooted closer, curious.</p><p>the first thing san noticed was the colors. this seemed to be a vlog for travel, as the title says. this person went to japan for spring and documented it here. spring is full of vibrant bright colors, right? but sometimes the documentary about it hurts your eyes because of the exposure.</p><p>but this person captured spring perfectly, to san's opinion. the color was bright but subtle, and the way this person documented it to the point where those watching can almost feel like they're the ones in japan, walking under the cherry blossoms. they also captured the panorama nicely, with smooth transitions. by the time the 5-minute length video ended, both yunho and san was so mesmerized.</p><p>"she is quite famous among new students because she has achieved some awards during high school. i thought she already had a partner, but maybe it's your lucky day after all." yeosang chuckled. as san thanked him and proceed to get her contact, he can't help but feel excited to see how his work will turn out.</p><p>l/n y/n. he saved the contact to his phone, and as he was thinking about how should he greet her, he felt a presence behind him.</p><p>"hi there, yeosang. and to you guys too," she said, her voice a low but nice octave. "i happen to walk by and saw you here, so i guess i should stop by to ask for my partner's contact." now that she stood at the end of the table, san is able to look st her. so this is l/n y/n.</p><p>"ah, you don't need to. this is san." yeosang gestured at him, and san quickly stood up to introduce himself.</p><p>san is tall, standing at 175 cm and she is quite tall too for a girl, probably around 166 or 168 cm. the first thing he noticed was her sincere yet confident smile, and she offered her hand.</p><p>"hello, i'm l/n y/n. guess we will be partners for this project." she shook his hand firmly.<br/>
"choi san. looking forward to work with you."</p><p>she nodded with her smile never leaving her face once, and san felt like she would be a great partner.<br/>
"when are you free to discuss our project?" she immediately gets to the point and in the future as they grow closer he'll come to know that it's one of her traits.<br/>
"i'm actually free right now," he turned to wooyoung, yunho, and yeosang who observed their interaction silently. noticing his silent question, yunho ushered him.</p><p>"you guys should discuss it now then, the faster the better." the blue-haired boy said, and others nodded.<br/>
"ah, y/n, do you by any chance know anyone who's still empty? yunho hasn't found a partner." san gestured to his friend and the said boy grinned sheepishly.</p><p>"wow really? someone i know is in dire need of a partner. i'll share his contact to-oh i'm sorry, nice to meet you guys i'm l/n y/n." she paused to introduce herself upon noticing she hasn't to the other two. they returned the gesture, and so y/n gave yunho her friend's contact.</p><p>after that, she and san left the canteen to go to a cafe across the campus. she said the latte there is nice and san agreed to her idea. the cafe was full of students, but thankfully there's a spot for two by the corner.</p><p>"i'll order for us, what do you want?" san asked, which she answered immediately. "i'll have a green tea latte, thanks."</p><p>so san went to the counter to take their order. as the cashier proceeds them, his thoughts wander to the project. come to think of it, what he wants to do is not entirely ballet. it's more like a combination of contemporary dance and ballet, in a modern dance style. the cashier calling his name shook him out of his trance, as he grabbed their order and walked back to his seat.</p><p>by the corner, y/n sat with her eyebrows furrowed at her laptop. she was typing something down as san sat down across her, and as he did so she turned her attention to him.</p><p>"thank you, here." she handed him cash the exact amount of her drink, so san guessed she's quite the regular here. "so, is ballet what you're going to do?" again, she gets to the point. now it's san's turn to furrow his brows.</p><p>"it's actually more like a mix. do you know BTS' new song, black swan?" san asked, and she nodded almost immediately. "i thought about making my own version of its orchestral version."</p><p>"wow, i've seen the choreography and it seems difficult. but i'm sure you have your own reason so i'm here to help you express them." she reassured him, and san felt relieved that she seemed so optimistic about this.</p><p>so the two talked further about their project, exchanging ideas and opinions for the next hour. when they finally come to an agreement, san felt so excited that he couldn't stop smiling.</p><p>she was such a nice person, with the way she helped him express his ideas, giving him options and examples. san also noticed how straightforward she is, but in a nice way that won't offend him. she also has eyes for details, and of course, her imagination is crazy as well that she could already build a concept for their project in less than an hour.</p><p>"i'm sorry i couldn't help much," san apologized as they stood up, getting ready to leave the cafe. he felt like she was taking care of everything in this project.<br/>
"san, this won't happen without your ideas as well. as i said before, my role here is to help you express them." she said in such a composed tone and a warm smile, giving such a chill and friendly aura. san won't lie, she is indeed attractive. but he doesn't want to think too much of that since it will probably ruin his focus.</p><p>"thankyou, y/n." he smiled, and y/n seemed taken aback before she replied, "you're very welcome."</p><p>as they part ways to their own apartment, the sky has turned into bright red-yellow colors. san looked up at the sky as he walked down the road, head filled with excitement for this project and also to get to know y/n better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>y/n is looking for something new and seems like she founds the one.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>y/n is excited.</p><p>the moment the project was announced, she made it her goal to score a good point. but the most important thing is to have a good time and enjoy it. that is the reason why she chose her partner carefully.</p><p>some dance major students had approached her before, asking her to be their partner but she refused politely after knowing they either haven't decided their concept or opted to do modern dance.</p><p>"what are you looking for?" her childhood friend, mingi, asked.<br/>
"something new. all kinds of dance is beautiful but i'm hoping to find something, i don't know. out of the blue?" she muttered, and mingi sighed.</p><p>"what about you?" she asked mingi, and the dark blue-haired boy sighed.<br/>
"some has already asked me, actually. but they were all girls and i felt like they were only interested in my looks."</p><p>if one didn't personally know mingi, they will think he was so full of himself. but y/n knew better.<br/>
"and that's the con of being too handsome." she teased the tall boy, and he grimaced.</p><p>as the duo walked out of their building, a notification sound grabbed their attention. they immediately fish for their phones in their pocket. a lot of information is being spread in their group chat to find partners, and they need to react fast.</p><p>in the group chat, was a message from yeosang, their fellow colleagues who looked like a model. y/n for sure thought he wasn't a cinematography major the first time she saw him but then again, you can't judge someone from their looks.</p><p>as she read yeosang's message, her eyes lights up with excitement and she elbowed mingi's side.<br/>
"i'm taking this one!" she exclaimed, and mingi pouted.<br/>
"as much as i would like a male partner, he's doing ballet. that's hard." he said, "but that won't be a problem to my talented bestie, i guess." he smirked and y/n elbowed him again playfully.</p><p>"don't say that. you're much better than me." she then messaged yeosang personally to tell him that she's interested to be partners with said person. then she continued talking with mingi, mostly teasing each other now. as they teased each other, y/n realized that their feet has brought them to the canteen. out of nowhere, she spotted yeosang there, his blonde hair making him noticeable from afar.</p><p>"mingi, that's yeosang, right?" she pointed, and mingi looked in the direction. "yeah, that's him. no one's blonde in our year except for him."</p><p>"great. i'm going to ask him for my partner's contact, do you want to come along?" she noticed yeosang was with three other people whom she doesn't know, but that's not a problem.</p><p>"nah, i need to look for my partner as well. i'll go to the auditorium." mingi said, so they part ways after wishing each other good luck.</p><p>y/n is not really fond of the idea of meeting new people, but she doesn't hate it either when she hasto. she walked confidently to where yeosang sit and greet them.<br/>
surprisingly, her partner was there too, sitting in front of yeosang himself.</p><p>choi san.</p><p>her first impression of him is he looks like some kind of gangster, especially with his earrings and the way he styled his hair. but as soon as he smiles, he seemed friendly and she was grateful for that. he gave off a calming aura, and again she's thankful. at least their personality won't be a problem in this project. hopefully.</p><p>she then introduced herself to the other two as well, a bit too late but she hopes they didn't mind. the one with blue hair was yunho, meanwhile the other is wooyoung. she can't help but notice their stunning visuals and wonder if the sayings similar people attract each other, is true because yeosang surely has good looking companions.</p><p>san also mentioned yunho hasn't got a partner, and she immediately responded that she knows someone too. so after giving yunho mingi's contact, and telling her bestie of the situation over text, she bid goodbye to the others as she walked with san to the cafe across their campus.</p><p>upon entering, san was polite to tell her to sit down first as he ordered. she felt like they would click. as her fingers scroll through examples of video and image concepts, san came back with their order.</p><p>"so, is ballet what you're going to do?" she opened their discussion, and when san asked if she knew BTS' black swan, she only got more excited. she has watched the performance, both versions and it was mesmerizing. this is what she meant by something new.</p><p>as they discuss further, she noticed how san is an expert in dance. he has already come up with the basics of his own choreography, giving her a better chance to help him explore more. they give and take ideas, and when they finally come to an agreement, she was satisfied.</p><p>which made her confused when san apologized. he felt like he didn't help much, while y/n felt like he was doing a big part of it. so she reassured him again, and when he said thank you, she was taken aback.</p><p>san smiled a sincere smile, the one that reaches his eyes. it was a simple thankyou, but the look in his eyes felt like it was telling her that he really means it. she hoped it was true.</p><p>after they part ways, y/n can't help but think of two things. the project, and also her kind, of course talented, and good looking partner. she continued walking down the road with a content expression on her face.</p><p>when she finally reacher her apartment building, she was surprised to see not only mingi in the living room but also yunho. and what's more surprising, is the two were laughing out loud as they watch something on tv.</p><p>"oh, you're home?" mingi asked after he heard the door opened and welcomed her with a big hug. y/n thought that's it, but mingi picked her up and spin her around in circles.</p><p>"thankyou so much for finding me a partner!" he exclaimed, and y/n hit his shoulders ordering him to put her down.</p><p>"you see, i don't know what it is but yunho and i clicked immediately." mingi said as he helped her stood up, still dizzy from the spin.</p><p>"hey, y/n, we meet again." yunho said, now standing beside mingi. y/n was confused, of course, because these two were acting like they've known each other for their entire life. it didn't felt weird to see them stand next to each other with big grins on their faces, and y/n thought maybe that's fate.</p><p>"yeah, i hope you two get along well and good luck with the project." she chuckled to herself, and both boys nodded. little did she know that they will get along way too well that it will almost make her lose composure for their active behavior. but that's something that will happen in the future.</p><p>so y/n excused herself to her room, immediately getting to work on her laptop. she searched for more references. san said he'll send her his choreography video later this night, and it really surprised her back then. so she hoped not to disappoint him and work at the same pace.</p><p>she looked for places where she could do the shooting for this concept, and after almost half an hour of browsing, she found two places. one is an abandoned opera stage, while the other is an abandoned park with a pond in the middle of it. the scenery was good for their concept so y/n couldn't pass the opportunity. she sent the locations to san, and went to take a shower as she waits for his response.</p><p>after getting freshen up, she saw that san has replied.</p><p><strong>san</strong>: <em>both seem good, and it's not too far. do you think we can use both?</em><br/>
<strong>san</strong>: <em>also don't worry about the distance, i have a motorcycle.</em></p><p>after she read the first message, her brain immediately projects the idea. if they do both, sure it'll be great. but that means it'll take more time and effort, not only for recording but also the editing process. she eyed her calendar, calculating the days till the due date. when she was deep in thoughts, a new message popped up.</p><p><strong>san</strong>: <em>but of course if that's too much work, we could settle in one place. i'd pick the opera.</em></p><p>she frowned. yes, it'll be hard. but if san has said both are good, they should try it. y/n understands very well that it is crucial to pick the right location to give the right mood. so she texted san saying it's totally okay to shoot in both locations, saying she could handle it. she made sure to pick her words carefully, knowing san will feel bad like earlier.</p><p>plus he has a motorcycle, so she shouldn't worry about that part. she could borrow mingi's car as well if there would be a lot of equipment.</p><p>as she sorts through the calendar, putting to-do lists and details, a new mail came, and turns out it was from san again. this time, a video was attached to it. san wrote <em>this is the video</em> as a subject, and added <em>please share your thoughts afterward</em> as the detail. y/n chuckled.</p><p>she clicked the video, waiting for it to load. she's really curious about san's dance since he seemed so confident and sure about this idea. so she inhales a sharp breath when the video started, watching it with anticipation.</p><p>the music for black swan's orchestral version started playing, and san stood in the middle of the room. it was a dance studio, with mirrors around it. that's probably where he practices, y/n thought.</p><p>and so san began dancing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>san acknowledged his crush on her, while y/n realizes she loved seeing him dance.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm sorry for the slow update, i just finished my exams :') hope you guys enjoy this one :D<br/>oh by the way i can't help but still use some korean phrases like 'hyung', 'sunbae', etc because it's kinda weird to use the English translation so pls bear with it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>it has been two days since their first meeting. </p><p>and for the whole two days, both san and y/n were busy discussing the project. they went surveying the locations and took some trial shots. discussed san's costume, and asking for feedback about his choreography from his friends. after combining the pieces together, both agreed that they've come to an agreement on what their final project would look like. surprisingly, all the process went smoothly. sure, there were a few disagreements here and there. but it was nothing serious. both took it professionally; all their actions weren't based on just raw emotion. and san is again surprised by how y/n handles the project like she's done this a thousand times. maybe she had, but he didn't voice it out loud. </p><p>"then is it tomorrow at 5?" y/n's question shook him out of his trance, and san nodded. he glanced at her, only to find her also looking at him with furrowed brows. "are you okay, san?" she asked, and san nodded immediately. "sorry, lost you a bit there." he rubbed the back of his neck unconsciously. then he saw y/n's furrowed brows disappear, changed by a more relaxed expression. </p><p>"i hope i'm not being too pushy, most of my partners tell me that." y/n inquired as her hand reached for her cup of green tea. the beverage seemed to be her favorite one no matter what condition. "not at all, i'm just kind of surprised that this went smoothly since we just met each other two days ago." san decided to be honest, and he watched as y/n's expression turned into one of amusement. </p><p>"same goes for me. looks like i'm so lucky to have a talented and cool partner." she wiggled her eyebrows, making both of them laugh. </p><p>his first impression of her was that she's a poised individual that maintains a serious aura around her. but as they grew closer, he notices how playful she can be under that collected mask of her, which she always put on whenever necessary. she's the type of person who knows how to position herself in various situations. when it comes to working, she is a professional who knows her territory the best and it wasn't hard for her to come up with an idea and express it. but outside of it, she can be silly sometimes. for example how she acts around her roommate and also childhood best friend, mingi. san met him yesterday at y/n &amp; mingi's shared apartment, before surveying the location using mingi's car for transportation. </p><p>the dark blue-haired boy was easy to befriend, plus he was yunho's partner in the end so they helped each other out with the project. san was taken aback when they got inside, and out of nowhere the tallboy appeared and tackled y/n to the carpeted floor of their living room. then they started to wrestle out of nowhere, only stopping when y/n realized that san was also there. it took all san's dignity not to laugh out loud at how embarrassed y/n looked but he convinced her that it's totally okay. he himself has a side that he hasn't shown to her, but san guessed that only time would tell. </p><p>"the feeling is mutual." san replied with a smirk, causing y/n to roll her eyes playfully. then all of a sudden she tilted her head as if she just remembered something. "oh, what about the costume?" </p><p>san grinned. "you'll be surprised, it's fantastic."</p><p>"of course it is. kim hongjoong himself made it." y/n pouted only <em>slightly</em>, and san tried to ignore how cute it looked. "i can't believe you know him and not tell me." </p><p>"you never asked." he teased her, causing her to roll her eyes again. there, it's one of her habits when she gets irritated by something and won't admit that it is indeed true. </p><p>the thing is, san happens to know kim hongjoong, a fashion major student just a year above them. but he was not just any student, he was a prodigy. and when san mentioned 'oh don't worry hongjoong-hyung will nail it' yesterday, the expression on y/n's face was priceless. her mouth hang agape, eyes wide out of surprise. and it only got better when he explained how he knew him. </p><p>san also has a childhood best friend that is more like a family now to him, named park seonghwa. said man was also his senior, roommate, and of course, kim hongjoong's best friend. y/n's eyes seemed like they were going to pop out of their sockets if san didn't calm her down. </p><p>"<em>you're acquainted with park seonghwa and kim hongjoong?!</em>" was what she could manage to say yesterday. san never really realize how talented his seniors are until he saw people's reactions because as someone who lives 24/7 with park seonghwa and kim hongjoong by the weekends he can say that both are just normal and sometimes troublesome human beings. but if he can use that fact to tease y/n, he'll take the opportunity. </p><p>"i'm looking forward to the costume then," y/n sipped her green tea again and placed it down slowly, eyes trained on her scribbling on her notes. she was silent, reading back the points of their discussion and making sure nothing was forgotten. "we've gone through all of them, don't worry." san reassured, smiling gently. she glanced at him and sighed, then nodded along. "as much as i'm confident about this, it still plays a big part for our grade and i don't want to mess up." </p><p>san clicked his tongue, shooting her a look of disbelief. "didn't we agreed to have fun as number one? as long as we do it with passion, it'll turn out okay. i'm totally sure we can do it." </p><p>her eyes seemed distant for a while, before gaining their lights back as she smiled at him. "right. thanks, san." </p><p>he nodded. "i think we should get going, it's getting dark." </p><p>they put their belongings in their own backpack and headed out of the cafe. san watched as y/n adjusted the straps of her bag and adjusted her coat, making sure they were neat. he flashed a small smile at the gesture while opening the door for y/n first. she walked ahead of him, her smaller figure seemed tiny in front of him. she was indeed tall for a girl, but her body is still smaller than him. <em>cute</em>. </p><p>the thing is, san knows that his partner is attractive. he knew it from the very first time he laid eyes upon her, but tried no to think of it to make this project professional. he doesn't think y/n would be comfortable if a stranger suddenly gets way too friendly from the first meeting. yeosang had mentioned that he was lucky because y/n is talented in her field, and after their meeting, wooyoung had mentioned that he is double lucky because she's cute. his new friend has even said that he would like to get to know her after this whole project is done. </p><p>of course, san doesn't mind. why would he? but as they got closer, he started to actually get interested in her. like, he wants to <em>know</em> her better. like what makes her happy, what upsets her, her opinion on things, stuff like that. he's had his previous relationship, so he knew that this could grow into a crush. but thanks to his experiences, he won't rush. his previous partners have said that he's quite an impulsive individual, which is not a bad thing. but sometimes it could lead to a not-so-favorable situation. so san would wait and let things flow naturally, to see how this will go. he held back a chuckle as he remembered he lost his chance upon seeing mingi yesterday, but thankfully they were just friends. </p><p>"then i'll pick you up tomorrow. don't stay up too late so you won't oversleep, okay?" she reminded him, the bright warm lights from the cafe shining upon her face. san nodded, "take care. if anything happens just call me." </p><p>they bid goodbyes, both walking to their respective apartments. </p><p>***</p><p>when y/n reached her apartment, she wasn't surprised to see yunho there. both tallboys were sitting on the carpeted floor, with some garments surrounding them. if y/n didn't announce her arrival, they probably won't realize she's home. she walked to the area, poking mingi's shoulder. </p><p>"oh, you scared me." mingi dramatically placed a hand over his chest, then he flashed a gummy smile at her. "look, we're reforming." </p><p>scattered on the floor were cuts of cloth, a shirt, a hat, some chains, and a few more items y/n can't recognize. it was quite the mess, actually. "i don't think we can call this reforming, though. this is such a mess." yunho replied, eyes still focused on cutting something. y/n wanted to tease mingi so bad but decided not too, upon seeing his dejected expression. </p><p>"have you guys eaten?" she asked instead, sitting on the couch. mingi shook his head, now back into business. "then i'll order something. what do you guys want?" </p><p>after deciding on a restaurant, y/n excused herself to her room. she changed into more comfortable clothing and went out again with her laptop. her preparation for tomorrow is done, so she'll watch something or just play games while also enjoying their companion. mingi and yunho got along really well, and eventually her and yunho as well. she also got closer to yeosang and wooyoung through this, and she could feel that this project won't be the end of it. </p><p>"do you guys need help?" she asked, eyeing them. she can't really make out what they were planning to make though. "no, you don't have to. can you play some songs? i'm in need of inspiration." mingi answered, voice slightly muffled by his current position. he sat with one leg propping up his chin, quite uncomfortable to y/n's opinion. so she played some songs from her and mingi's shared playlist, the melodies filling in the room. they were unusually quiet, only speaking when necessary. </p><p>"how's your project going, by the way?" yunho asked, now knitting something. y/n looked at how swiftly his hands moved, seems like he's quite experienced. "pretty nice, actually. we'll start shooting tomorrow morning." y/n answered, her hands hovering over the launchpad. she clicked on a folder, and it showed some photos she took on the survey yesterday. in frame was san, performing some moves from his choreography and y/n smiled upon seeing them. </p><p>"wow, you guys are fast. mingi and i planned to start the day after tomorrow; i haven't finished my choreography." yunho answered, this time he turned to look at y/n. the girl, however, seemed not to notice as she was too occupied with whatever on her screen right now, so yunho nudged at mingi's leg, eyes pointing at y/n. mingi grinned, as they both moved closer slowly to peek at her screen. </p><p>"ha! caught you!" mingi exclaimed, taking her laptop from her hand. y/n shrieked, first out of surprise and second, because she realized what was on her screen. but mingi held the laptop above his head, way out of y/n's reach. yunho saw the monitor full of a close-up shot of san, and grinned. "ooooh, so is this what you meant by 'pretty nice', y/n?" he teased, and y/n could feel the hotness crawling from her neck to her face. </p><p>"no! i was just admiring him!" she shouted, then furrowed her brows. "wait, that sounded wrong." </p><p>mingi and yunho burst into a laughing fit, face flush and hands clutching their stomach. "so is my best friend finally getting a crush in her lonesome life?" mingi teased again, and y/n groaned. "that's not it. those were pictures from yesterday and i think he looked good." she hid her face behind her hands, giving up on trying to reach the laptop from mingi's hands. she slouched on the sofa, totally embarrassed now. </p><p>"well, sannie is indeed handsome. and you are gorgeous. so why not ask him out?" mingi placed her laptop down, only to sit beside her and poke her sides. she squirmed, trying to pry mingi's hands off of her. "because i don't like-like him!" she groaned, and mingi smirked. "yet." upon that answer, a pillow hit his face. </p><p>"you are not telling anyone about this." she stared at mingi coldly, then to yunho who observed the commotion with a big grin on his face. <br/>
"oh no, because we are so telling everyone about it." her best friend answered, tongue poking out. y/n sighed.<br/>
"please don't, if san knows it'll ruin the project. like i said, i was just admiring him. it's not like i like him just yet." </p><p>at that, mingi smiled fondly. his hand reached out to pat her head, rubbing her hair softly. "don't worry, i was just kidding." she was relieved, until yunho added, "but if you do like-like him, we totally support you guys."</p><p>on cue, the doorbell rings. she stormed off to grab the food and also to escape the heavy stares those two were starting to give her. she probably looked like a tomato right now from all the embarrassment, but surely the delivery man or lady won't pay attention. except if it wasn't the delivery man or lady at all. by her door, right now, is choi freaking san. he stood there with both hands in his pocket, hair slightly damp. a wind gushed by, and she could smell his perfume.  </p><p>"hey, i'm here to return your phone. looks like we mistook each other's phone earlier," he said, flashing his usual smile along with his dimples. y/n doesn't know if it was the beforehand embarrassment, or because she was just thinking and talking about him a few seconds ago, but she could feel another blush creeping up to her face. she tried to compose her cool and moved aside, welcoming him inside. only then she realized san was not alone. </p><p>"and i sorta brought a company since we were going out to eat." san added, motioning to the person behind him. said person now came into view, flashing a polite smile. y/n's brain was incapable of forming the right words, and thankfully mingi came to the rescue. </p><p>"what took you so long? is there any tro-" mingi paused upon seeing who was by the door, and immediately beamed. "hey san!" he greeted, and y/n's brain finally worked again. "please come inside first." she said, and stormed inside to her room. she closed the door, slightly hearing mingi and yunho do the welcoming to both of their guests. </p><p>along with san was none other than park seonghwa. she was surprised when san said he knew both hongjoong and seonghwa, their seniors. y/n has admired hongjoong's fashion collection, finding them creative and unique and of course to her liking, and seonghwa is a great dancer and also a wonderful model for hongjoong's clothing line. as a cinematography student that may sound unrelated, but as a person, y/n enjoys fashion a lot. to know that there are two great seniors at the same campus is thrilling, and to have one of them by your apartment is astounding. never she imagined being introduced to them. </p><p>"okay, get yourself together." she took a deep breath, then start rummaging through her backpack, trying to find her phone. well, san's phone. they have the same phone type and black cases, so maybe that can explain why. she grabbed the device and pressed the power button to make sure that it was san's. the lockscreen was his cat, byeol, and y/n chuckled. she went out to find four boys lounging in the living room and laughing about something. then she froze midway. her laptop. it was displaying san's face earlier. she's not visible from their point of view yet, still standing in front of her door. so y/n peeked, but she couldn't see the table. it was blocked by mingi and yunho's broad shoulders. she sighed heavily and decided to just go for it. whatever they throw at her, she'll just explain honestly. </p><p>never in a million years y/n thought she would be nervous walking into the living room of her own place, but here she was. she walked up to where the four seated, and upon seeing her san stood up. </p><p>"i tried to call but i don't know your passcode, hope i'm not bothering you." they exchanged phones, "not at all. sorry i didn't realize it earlier."  </p><p>"it's okay. by the way, this is my roommate." he gestured to the man sitting next to him and he stood up. y/n thought he would be around san's height, but seonghwa is slightly taller. </p><p>"nice to meet you, i'm park seonghwa." he introduced himself, a hand reached out. y/n took them, "i'm y/l/n y/n. nice to meet you too, sunbaenim." in the corner of her eyes, she could see san's grinning face but she decided to ignore it. he'll probably tease her later, but that's another problem. </p><p>y/n expected them to bid their goodbyes after that, but surprisingly they don't. so y/n sat on the sofa as well, between mingi and yunho. they continued their conversation about the project, asking for some types from seonghwa. she observed the situation, oddly not finding it weird. well, it's still a bit awkward for her but the conversation rolled comfortably. seonghwa answered their questions with the same level of excitement, mostly about the dance major though. but y/n doesn't mind. </p><p>her eyes trailed to her laptop, which was surprisingly closed. thank god mingi and yunho still had some dignity left for her. as they talked more, the doorbell ringed and she stood up to get it since the others were so into the conversation. thankfully it's the delivery man and not another surprise guest, and after receiving the change and all she got inside and immediately went to the kitchen. as she unpacks the packages, she overhears mingi asking if san and seonghwa would like to join them for dinner. she did order quite the big portion for five-person (yunho and mingi are big eaters) but she doesn't know if their guests would like chickens, naengmyeon, sundubu-jjigae, and some tteokbokki. it's not quite the perfect match. </p><p>but san and seonghwa excused themselves, apologizing after for visiting without notice. so y/n walked out of the kitchen to see them off. what she didn't expect is san walking up to her and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "nice to meet you too, huh?" he teased, and y/n automatically nudged his side. san yelped but laughed after, and y/n joined him. the others were already by the door, so san bid his goodbye, for now. </p><p>"see you tomorrow, partner." he said, waving his hands casually. he high-fived mingi and yunho, then disappeared behind the door. now the silence is back, mingi and yunho both turning to look at her with wide grins on their faces. </p><p>"what was that?" mingi inquired, one of his brows rising. "what was <em>what</em>?" y/n huffed, already walking back to the kitchen. "this." </p><p>she rolled her eyes but turned around nevertheless, only to find mingi whispering something in yunho's ears and the blue-haired boy laughed like some lovestruck highschool girl. y/n groaned. </p><p>"now you two shut up or you're not getting dinner." she scolded, glaring daggers. at that, mingi saluted. "yes, ma'am!" </p><p>at least they'll stop, for now. </p><p>***</p><p>seonghwa was enjoying his morning coffee by the counter when san's phone rang, showing a caller ID to be no other than y/n. it's 4.50 am, so she must be on her way now. but the said boy is still in the bathroom since five minutes ago after saying his tummy hurts. </p><p>"sannie, y/n's calling you!" he shouted, and san told him to just pick it up and say he's all ready. so seonghwa picked it up, and before he could manage a greeting y/n's voice already spoke in a sing-sang tune. </p><p>"good morning to my cool, kind, and talented partner, i hope you're ready because i'm already on my way. or did you overslept?" she cheered, and seonghwa stifled back a chuckle. <br/>
"good morning to you too, y/n. your cool, kind, and talented partner are ready but he's still using the bathroom but that won't be a problem." the raven grinned, and held a finger above his lips as san came out asking for his phone. he put the phone on loudspeaker, placing it back on the counter. </p><p>silence. </p><p>"um, seonghwa-sunbaenim? i'm sorry, i thought it was san." her voice turned into a professional one, and san almost laughed out loud because he realized what his hyung was doing. "it's okay. i'll tell san you're coming. drive safe, y/n." </p><p>"okay, thankyou, sunbaenim." and she immediately hung up. as she does so, san erupted into big laughter. seonghwa only smiled, sipping his coffee. </p><p>"it's so fun to teaser her," san said in-between laughs, as he grabbed his belongings. seonghwa shook his head, "if you like her, just tell her already." </p><p>san clicked his tongue, giving seonghwa a look of disagreement. "no, that would freak her out. i'll just follow the flow." he shrugged, bending to tie his shoes. he heard seonghwa's footsteps coming closer, and his phone was shoved into his face. "you almost forgot this." </p><p>"oh, thank you." he took it and said farewell to seonghwa, the older wishing him good luck. </p><p>seonghwa's apartment was not that big, but it's enough for both of them. when he told his senior about his plan for uni, the older offered to stay together. it would make the rent cheaper, and he doesn't have to worry much because seonghwa is already like a sibling to him. growing up together does have its perks sometimes. as san got into the elevator, a notification popped up. it's from y/n saying she's already at the front. san chose not to reply, since he's already on the first floor. </p><p>as he walked to the car, he could see y/n's silhouette typing something into her phone. he can't see her face clearly yet, but he bets that she would look adorable in the morning. san knocked at the window, and she glanced at it before opening the lock. san slides in the car, to be greeted with a much warmer temperature than the outside. </p><p>"mornin'!" san greeted, moving his backpack to the backseat. he saw y/n's equipment too and placed his backpack carefully not to crush them. "morning. i almost had a heart attack because of you." she muttered, starting the engine. san chuckled. </p><p>"what did you say to seonghwa-hyung?" he asked, putting his seatbelt on. "no, i won't say it again. it's your fault that you're not the one answering it." she rolled her eyes, and san noticed the gesture. y/n rolling her eyes means there's something that she won't admit. </p><p>"oho? did you say something that's supposed to be only between us?" san inquired, wiggling his brows. he watched as y/n groaned, and the car stopped. red lights. she turned to look at him, lips slightly pouting again. "i said 'good morning to my cool, kind, and talented partner.'" she huffed, and san laughed out loud. he didn't know this, that must be the reason seonghwa was amused back then. </p><p>"well good morning to you too, then." he replied, and the lights went green. y/n grimaced, "too late. anyway, do you want to play some song?" </p><p>san of course agreed, and he paired his phone to the car's speaker. "would you like to start this morning with some rnb?" he asked, and y/n knitted her brows, seems to be thinking. "some rnb would be nice." when they went surveying two days ago, y/n was the one handling the songs. san noticed that her playlist mostly consists of pop and rnb songs, and he enjoyed the same genre as well. </p><p>so san played dpr live's jasmine, smiling slightly when she started to drum her fingers at the wheel. "seems like we have similar taste in music, partner." she mumbled, taking a turn to the left. her eyes never left the road, really focusing on it. san knows how to drive as well; seonghwa taught him. but he prefers motorcycles because he likes the feeling. but for this project, they needed a lot of stuff which wouldn't be so convenient with a motorcycle, so they had to borrow mingi's car.</p><p>"another plus point why we should still be friends after this." san commented, and for a split second y/n turned to him with a questioning look before focusing back on the street. "what's that? did you not want to befriend me if i don't reach enough points?" </p><p>san's eyes widened, realizing his choice of words, then facepalmed himself. "that's not it, i didn't mean to say it that way. i just, i-"he started to panic slightly, worrying if his impulsive side has taken over. but y/n chuckled, waving off her right hand. "geez, i was just kidding. personally, you've reached enough points so i would like to be your friend after this." y/n replied, turning to smile at him before again focusing on the street. </p><p>san was dumbfounded. last night he was just thinking about this topic, about how can he still keep in contact with y/n after this project ends. but now, out of the blue she herself has fixed the problem. where was the flustered y/n last night, when he teased her about seonghwa? then san realized, that from the first place this side of y/n is what intrigued him. her straightforwardness and her confidence. san smiled. </p><p>"then again, the feeling is mutual," he replied, and he could see y/n smiling as well. if earlier san thought she would look adorable in the morning, then he was wrong. because she looked simply beautiful, with her hair tied into a messy bun, some strands falling to her face. her eyes shine with determination, and she always had this little smile that gives off a calming aura but also a cool one. she wore a black turtleneck with jogger pants, her coat hanging by the driver seat. as simple as this, and san decided that, okay, he might have a crush on her. </p><p>"so, i must be a ten out of ten, right?" he continued the subject, and y/n rolled her eyes. the song changed into another song by dpr live that san enjoys so much, action. now that san think of it, this song's vibe kinda fits their situation. "nope, you're one out of ten. because i don't grade my friends." she teased him, tongue poking out. san didn't notice that they had stopped, already arriving at the park. </p><p>"let's go, we need to catch the sunrise." y/n urged, taking her seatbelts off. san does the same, but he muttered, "this song's nice though, such a shame." y/n stopped her movements, then her fingers pressed the volume button up. san turned to look at her, confused. </p><p>"my dancer has to be in a good mood for this to turn out good." she shrugged, then started to sing along. and san was dumbfounded for the second time that morning. and what was that, <em>my</em> dancer? okay. san needs to calm down. he needs to stop feeling the butterflies in his stomach. so he sang along with her throughout the song, with y/n surprisingly having a good voice and memorized all the lyrics. </p><p>by the time the song ended, they were laughing out loud from their impersonation of the song. to y/n, it may be just a simple karaoke. but to san, that song kinda conveyed his emotion. he immediately drops the thought, because they need to start working soon. </p><p>y/n left the car first with her equipment, leaving san to change into his costumes. "why am i like this," san muttered as he tried to shook off the euphoria he just experienced a few minutes ago. </p><p>***</p><p>y/n must've lost her mind. </p><p>she can't help but overthink about what just happened this morning. the whole phone call situation with his senior. well, it was actually no problem. the problem was with everything she said to san in the car. on top of it all, <em>my</em> dancer??? like what the heck was that. and the song. it was one of her favorites, she memorized it by heart and had imagined to sing it with her loved one someday and only to realize it nearing the end of the song when she made eye contact with san. </p><p>mingi and yunho's teasing faces come to mind, and y/n shook her head. she positioned her tripod carefully on the ground, then slapped her cheeks. both her fingers and cheeks are cold from the temperature, and she realized she forgot her coat. muttering a curse under her breath, she made sure the tripod was stable before turning around to get her coat. but she didn't need to, because san was already there, walking up to her with her coat in his hands. </p><p>"you forgot this, silly." he said, but y/n had her attention for something else. none other than san's costume, and of course the one wearing them. </p><p>he wore a black satin dress shirt with a low v-cut, revealing his bare chest. y/n realizes some dark ink upon his skin, resembling veins, drawn from his chest to his neck. on the dress shirt was diamonds, with various sizes sewn neatly. and on top of it all, y/n realized that the shirt was a bit see-through. and he wore black dress pants, the ones for dancers but with some soft pink and blue flower petals attached to them carefully. </p><p>"wow." is all y/n can manage to say when san stood in front of her, the boy smiling wide. "told you, hongjoong-hyung will nail it." </p><p>y/n gave him her thumbs up, then nodding with approval. "you look like you're ready for the runway. and did you make those yourself?" she motioned at her own neck, and san's hand grazed his own skin. "yeah, does it look nice?" </p><p>"loon 'nice'? you look fantastic!" y/n exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. only then she actually took a close look at san's face and realize the added features upon his face. without really realizing it, she took a step closer to examine his face. "and your makeup too! you did this yourself?" y/n peeked up, not noticing how close she had been. </p><p>san gulped at the proximity and tried to calm his racing heartbeat. "yup, i only added the contact lenses here and the glitter." he pointed at his now grey-colored eyes, and the glitter under his eyes. y/n took a step back, still staring at him in awe. </p><p>"wow, you're so talented." she mumbled, then realized something again. "aren't you cold wearing that?" </p><p>"a bit, actually. but i'm going to do my warm-ups now so i'll be fine. here, your coat." </p><p>y/n took her coat from his hands and wore them, feeling excited to start shooting. all her worries from before have vanished away, for now, replaced by her excitement. she continued to adjust her equipment, as san started to do warm-ups. </p><p>they are going to first shoot by the inner part of the park where the trees are bushy so it provided the right mood, and as the song goes on it will move to the center of the park where there will be a pond. if their measurements are correct (it has to be), by the time they reached the pond, the sun will already rise. so the sequence will go as if it goes lighter, but with natural lighting. y/n prepared her camera and walked to the inner part, getting ready before san. not long after, the boy followed, already barefooted. </p><p>"you look just like how you designed it," y/n commented. san looked like some ethereal being to be honest, like something too good to be true. he ran his fingers through his dark hair, chuckling. "yeah, thankfully hongjoong-hyung understood what i wanted." he said, walking around to find the starting position. y/n took a deep breath. they both know that from now on, they have to be professional. </p><p>"are you ready?" she asked, and san was silent for a while, before nodding. y/n was prepared before him, so y/n pressed the bluetooth speaker she carried with her. the cue started playing, and both her and san counted in their minds. </p><p><em>1</em>. she saw san taking a deep breath. <em>2</em>. he raised his hands above his head, starting to make flapping movements of wings. <em>3</em>. his expression changes as a whole and y/n focus to capture them. </p><p>the first time y/n saw san's dance practice video, she thought that she was watching a professional's video. like, it was not the level of a fresh student in a university. his movements, the flexibility, the angles, how he executed every part, it was all perfect. y/n knows nothing about dance, but something about the wan san dances screams perfection. and on top of it all, his expression. if his body could express the emotion, then his expression will be the perfect cherry on top. </p><p>when she asked him why he chose black swan, his answer made a permanent token in her heart. "<em>you know the sayings, that a dancer dies twice? that the first one is when they stop dancing</em><em>?</em>" he asked, eyes suddenly looking distant. y/n nodded back then, she remembered them in the music video. "<em>i think it would be a great song for this project. like, this is my first official project as a dance-major student. i want to dance until my very last breath, and this song will be a reminder why i'm doing it.</em>" </p><p>there was something in san's eyes that day. usually, they glinted with mischievousness, or that teasing look, or that serious one when they were discussing. but when he talked about that, y/n understood what he meant. just like why she loves cinematography. <em>passion</em>. it's something that makes you thrive, something that keeps you alive and sane in this world. something that keeps you going on, no matter what comes at you. </p><p>and because of that, y/n swore to not only work on this project because of the grades, or because she likes it. but because it will be so meaningful to both of them, something they will cherish for their whole life. </p><p>she didn't even feel tired of one bit, following san's footstep to the center of the park. the boy twirled gracefully, then hopping slightly before landing smoothly, continuing his strides to the pond. the music neared its end, and this is the crucial part. san slithered to the ground, then laying on them fully. the song goes on, and as it ended, san crouched to the pond. he dipped his hands into it, enough to make it ripple, and the song ends. </p><p>silence surrounded the both of them for a while, as y/n did a final shot, and all that was heard is san's heavy breathing. placing down her camera, she hurries to san. she crouched beside him, taking out a water bottle from her backpack and a fresh towel. san took the water first, gulping them down in a flash. he then took the towel and dabs at his now sweaty face. </p><p>"so, how did i go?" </p><p>y/n looked at him in the eyes and smiled widely. "perfection. one hundred out of ten." </p><p>at that moment, she had crowned him her favorite dancer, ever. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>as their project sailed smoothly, so did their relationship.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>happy new year! and atinys don't forget to vote on the SMA app!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>y/n felt ecstatic. </p><p>it has been quite a long time since she has worked on a project; she enjoyed her last days of high school with some friends then went on a trip to japan with mingi. she did make a travel video back then, but y/n herself didn't quite count it as a project since travel videos are more like for fun. then afterwards she prepared for university, moving out of her house and such. when this project was announced, she knew it would be a memorable one. and thank god it exceeded her expectations, all thanks to san. </p><p>well, maybe not <em>all</em>, but still he plays a big part in this. </p><p>she was smiling ear to ear all the way home, hand resting on her thighs while her fingers drum along to the beat of a song that san played. they had finished the recording which took longer than they planned but it was okay since everything was perfect. first, the weather was really great and it provided the right mood and lighting. second, she was in a good condition to work non-stop with all three cameras and adjusting them here and there. third, san was also at his best, executing each movement perfectly despite them working for quite a long time. </p><p>"looks like someone's in a good mood," san teased, driving with only one hand on the wheel. he had offered to drive earlier, which y/n agreed to. her arms were all sore by the end, and as much as she knows san is probably tired as well, he insisted. "yeah, they turned out really good. like, it's way past my imagination." she replied cheerfully, knowing that the happiness must've been visible. </p><p>"that's what happens when we enjoy it." san stated, glancing to look at her only to find her looking at him as well. so both chuckled, before he looked back at the road. meanwhile, y/n was still looking at san's figure from her seat. the second reason for her little bubble of joy now is the realization of how she loves seeing san dance. he danced like the choreography was a part of him, like he breathed it. she knows that there are many talented dancers out there, all with their own passion and fire that makes them thrive but to her, san is <em>the one</em>. she could watch him dance for hours, days, even if it's possible. </p><p>looking at him like this, she still can't believe it herself that they've only known each other for days. at first, it was all kind of formal and stiff, but never awkward. then it bloomed into something friendlier, something for comfortable. <em>weird</em>, she thought. it's not that she can't befriend new people well, it's just, most people don't immediately click on the first meeting. but when it happens, oh how amazing that feels. this is actually y/n's first time to feel something like this, and she hoped that she can be good friends with san. aside from his talents and how she wants to do more projects with him, he's amazing as a person as well. </p><p>"hey, what are you doing?" san asked breaking the silence, and she blinked multiple times. she must've stared for quite a long time. "sorry, was just thinking." she mumbled, fixing her position to look back forward. "what's that little head thinking so hard in the morning, hmm?" san teased again, and y/n groaned. he likes to tease her, she noticed. and if mingi's teasing was at least tolerable because they've been together for years, san's teasing is definitely something new. sometimes, it felt like he was... flirting. </p><p>y/n shooed that thought away. </p><p>"i was thinking that it would be great if we could do another project in the future," she shrugged, replying honestly. "wow, thought you'd never asked." there, the playful smirk is back, and y/n rolled her eyes. </p><p>"anyways, drive faster. mingi needs to use this car in fifteen minutes." she reminded, and san muttered a crap. "i thought you could drive well?" now it's her turn to tease, and san pouted. "i do know, but since i don't know mingi well enough i'm driving safe." which gained another roll of eyes from y/n. </p><p>they arrived not long after, and san parked the car in the basement. they both carried the equipment to the elevator, which luckily was empty. </p><p>"we'll continue shooting at 2 pm, right?" san asked, his arms hugging the tripods in his chest. y/n nodded, pressing the button to her floor. "yeah. you can have breakfast here if you want. i planned to edit some of the clips afterward, though." she was looking forward but san knows better that she's probably running down agendas in her head. so he playfully bumped her side, and y/n tumbled, almost falling if it was not for the wall beside her. she shot him a questioning look. </p><p>"don't think too much, we'll make it in time. you'll have crinkles sooner if you keep frowning like that." san said, and the elevator dinged. he walked ahead of her, leaving y/n slightly stunned in her position. realizing what he said, she caught up to him and smack the back of his head with her free hand. </p><p>"ouch! what was that for?" san half-yelled, clutching to the tripods tightly. "i was not frowning!" y/n protested, one of her left hand resting on her hip. "you were." san stated, eyes squinting. y/n stared back, not backing down. "was not." "totally did." </p><p>their bickering could've gone longer if it weren't for two familiar voices approaching them, one of them whistling playfully. </p><p>"look who it is," mingi chimed, "if it isn't our dearest sannie and y/n." yunho added. "bickering so early in front of people's units, eh?" mingi walked over to y/n and ruffled her hair. she yanked his hands away. "just like some old married couple." yunho wiggled his brows, glancing between san and y/n back and forth. </p><p>"we were not bickering," y/n argued, still trying to get away from mingi's hands while san looked at yunho with a bored look on his face. "and we're not some old married couple. if someone's old, though, it's totally y/n." </p><p>his words surprised the said girl because she gasped loudly. her focus shifted to san from mingi, and she gave him a death glare. "i'll edit your face like a grandpa in this portfolio." she threatened, and san's eyes widened. </p><p>"hey, that's not fair!" he protested. another round of arguing ensues, and this time mingi and yunho only watched. it looked like some shitty rom-com which both secretly like to watch, only to cringe at. but time was ticking and they need to leave, so mingi decided to stop them. </p><p>"san, don't worry. her editing skill is not that good yet." he interfered, both heads spun to look at him in a second. "i'd like to watch you guys argue like crows but i need to leave. car keys?" </p><p>unconsciously, san handed the bags of tripod to y/n. she accepted it as well as if they were not arguing a few seconds ago. the raven-haired boy fished the keys from his pocket, and gave them to mingi. "thank you, mingi. good luck you two!" he then patted the taller boys' shoulder and walked off with y/n after. she gave him back the tripod, to open the door to her unit. </p><p>mingi and yunho watched the commotion in silence, shaking their heads. </p><p>"i take my words, they'll be a thing sooner than one month." mingi sighed, and yunho grinned. "i've told you. but a bet is a bet." </p><p>***</p><p>"what do you want to eat?" y/n asked as soon as they get into the apartment. san walked to the living room, placing her stuff carefully on the carpet. "if you don't mind, i'll cook for us." san said as he walked to the kitchen, to find y/n rummaging through shelves. she looked back at him with a questioning look. "<em>you </em>can cook?" </p><p>san placed a hand over his chest dramatically, "i see you've underestimated me." she moved aside, showing the items inside the cupboards. "no, it just that you don't look like you can cook." y/n answered nonchalantly, making san fake cry. "and you just judge me from my looks." he crouched down, checking the items. </p><p>"speaking of looks, i thought you were some kind of a bad guy at first glance." y/n pondered as she walked outside, leaving a muttering san behind. she picked her equipment from the living room and carried them to her room. as she carefully placed them down, she heard sounds of kitchen utensils against each other. then the realization hits her, hands stopped mid-air. </p><p>she is currently in her apartment, alone with san. </p><p>only the both of them. </p><p>y/n screamed internally. san insisted on driving back and helping her carry the equipment, but he said nothing about cooking and now the said man is in her kitchen. how come she just realize it now? </p><p>this is weird. way too weird. both of them get along way too smoothly to y/n's usual experiences. this didn't even happen to her and mingi when they first met. well, they were kids back then but it's still debatable because they're close now. then again at the same time, it felt right. like seeing san around is a familiar sight, nothing to be surprised about.</p><p>
  <em>okay, don't think of this weirdly. act normal.</em>
</p><p>she tried to encourage herself and walked outside. sounds from the kitchen could still be heard, and as she approached the room she recognized san's singing voice. she peeked from the door frame and saw san's back, wandering around the kitchen. his hands were busy opening packages and putting stuff into the pot, then tasting the broth. not to mention his voice is actually good. it sounded soft and calming, and y/n wondered if there's something he can't do. </p><p>"what are you making?" she took a deep breath to calm herself, and walked into the kitchen. she watched as san turned to face her, a huge smile took over his face. y/n tried to ignore the way her heart kind of skip a beat at the sight. </p><p>"soup. you had some leftover ingredients so i just went for it." he turned back to the stove, stirring the pot. in this apartment, both her and mingi rarely cook. the leftover ingredients were from last week when mingi said he missed his mom's cooking. other than that, they rarely do. y/n herself doesn't really enjoy the activity much. deciding to just let san do his thing, she sat on the counter. </p><p>"where did you learn to cook?" she asked, resting her hands on the counter. "believe it or not, it's seonghwa-hyung." he answered and y/n shook her head astoundedly. </p><p>"i can actually picture it. speaking of sunbaenim, so you guys basically have known each other from kids?" no longer feeling nervous about the situation, y/n initiated the conversation.</p><p>"yeah. he was my neighbour and our parents know each other well, so basically we're brothers," he answered, turning the stove off. with gloves, he carefully carried the pot to the counter. y/n moved aside and grabbed the plates and bowls, setting them. "how about you and mingi?" it was his turn to ask. </p><p>they both sat down side to side, and y/n handed him his chopsticks and bowl of rice. "he moved next to my house back when we were in first grade of elementary school. their family came to introduce themselves, and mingi was hiding behind his mother's leg. he was so small back then." she huffed, and blew on her spoon of soup. </p><p>"maybe it's not mingi who's tall, you're the one who's not growing." san teased, and y/n nudged his side. knowing it was coming, san didn't even bother to pick his spoon. </p><p>"his father is tall, it's genetics. you wouldn't believe it but he's shorter than me until high school, like i can <em>actually</em> look down at him." y/n muttered, "and not to mention he was quiet and shy, now he's a total tease. but still, he's my best friend." </p><p>san watched as a fond smile find their way to her cheeks, and couldn't help the feeling of his own smile forming. he noticed how she's getting more comfortable around him and that's a good sign. aside from her personality and cute features, it's just simply her aura and being that kept attracting him, making him find a way to spend time with her. to be honest san doesn't know much about cooking but he just wanted to be with her, and before he knew it he's already in her kitchen. </p><p>he hoped that she didn't mind. and thankfully it looked like she didn't.</p><p>"i seriously thought you guys were a couple," he can't help but say, and y/n nodded. "yeah, understandable. you're not first in line. back in high school, gosh, it was hell. girls would approach me to give this and that to him and stuff." y/n rolled her eyes, and san chuckled. he can imagine the annoyed expression on her face, just like the ones she make when he tease her. </p><p>"did your three years consist of that?" </p><p>"thankfully, no. after the first semester they gave up because mingi kept giving their gifts to his friends." </p><p>that made them laugh, imagining song mingi giving gifts away. then an idea popped into san's head. </p><p>"what about you?" he asked, and y/n turned to him with furrowed brows. "what?" </p><p>"a lot of boys must've given you gifts," he said, finishing his meal. "i guess," she answered shortly, making san curious. seeing his expression, y/n sighed. "i did receive gifts and stuff but i didn't really think about it." </p><p>she expected him to tease him like mingi did every time they brought up this topic, but san smiled simply. </p><p>"it's not wrong to do so," he shrugged and stood up to take the plates to the sink. she followed and ushered him aside. "i'll wash the dishes. thank you for the meal, it was delicious." </p><p>san obliged, and it was as if they switched roles. now san sat at the counter, watching her from behind. "what about you?" she asked, and san ran his fingers through his hair. </p><p>"i guess i had my fair share of high school romance." he laughed, waiting for her reaction. to his surprise, y/n turned to him with suspicious eyes.</p><p>"are you one of those guys that changes girlfriend every two weeks or so?" she questioned, pointing a spoon at him. san placed a hand over his chest dramatically for the second time this morning. </p><p>"you just judged me by my looks again." </p><p>"sorry, can't help it." she poked her tongue at him and turned back to her work. san grinned. "no, i was not." </p><p>"thank god, then." she once again turns back to him, this time with a playful look on her face. "because i wouldn't want to have that kind of guy as a friend." </p><p>san winked at her, "you won't regret being my friend." y/n knows for sure she won't.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>one week passed, the portfolio was submitted. and now they wait.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hello, just wanna let you guys know that I've published two other ateez fics. the first one is a yunho fic (harry potter au) and the other is mingi :D (pirate au) soo maybe you wanna check them out. thankyou!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>today is the <em>big </em>day. </p><p>after a week of shooting, revising, and editing, it all finally come to an end. san and y/n finished the video in five days and spent the rest helping the others. apparently, wooyoung and yeosang had a disagreement during their shooting process and their shooting was delayed a few times. san thought that since the two are old friends, they won't have any big problems but then things happen. they had to get into the argument since wooyoung contacted him and yunho, asking for help because yeosang won't listen to him at all. </p><p>in those span of time, the small group grew closer. as much as san was comfortable around y/n, he founds himself getting along with the boys nicely. aside from dance, he and yunho shared the same hobby: playing games. they even played play station together in mingi &amp; y/n's shared apartment, when he slept over. yes, he slept over, with the reason to fully aid y/n as moral support even though he doesn't know much about it. to his relief, y/n didn't mind. plus, yunho was also sleeping over for the same reason so it was just natural, right? </p><p>wooyoung's witty personality just fits him like a puzzle piece. they shared the same kind of humour and sarcasm to the point it irritated the others badly when they decided to team up and tease the others (mostly y/n or mingi, though). meanwhile, yeosang's blunt remarks and sassiness fits just right with wooyoung and his personality to shut them up if it's too much. at the other side, mingi as the victim of their teasing is as patient as ever, even though he'll sulk if they tease him too much. but a bribe will always make up for it, be it his favourite food or things. </p><p>"see you at the auditorium, sannie." seonghwa patted his shoulder, walking away from him to his own group of friends. san could see hongjoong in the circle, already waving to his model. the raven-haired boy took a deep breath and walked to the crowd of first-year students, searching for his friends. it doesn't take long for him to spot mingi and yunho's tall figure, and yeosang's mop of blonde hair. along with them were wooyoung and y/n, chatting under the shade of a tree. the area was buzzing with chatters among students, the main topic was of course, about the portfolio. san would be lying if he wasn't anxious. </p><p>"san!" </p><p>to his surprise, y/n was the first one to notice him. she waved at him, beckoning him over. so he put the biggest smile he could muster and walked over to the welcoming group. </p><p>"what took you so long?" wooyoung nudged his side, and san shrugged. "i'm never late. you guys are simply early." </p><p>the others groan at unison at his words, even y/n. he chuckled, then slung an arm around wooyoung. "i see everyone's looking nervous." </p><p>"as much as i don't want to, i just realize how big this thing is." yunho grimaced, looking at the crowd around him.</p><p>turns out that their professor decided not to announce the actual important information about this project. well, aside from the fact that it will play a big part in their grade this semester. today is their first <em>official</em> day of college and as a part of the opening ceremony, the top pair of this project will be announced here and the dancer will have to perform live in the auditorium, in front of their friends, seniors, and the whole faculty of the performing arts major. </p><p>well, to put it simply, this is a big moment. </p><p>"did you hear? there will also be a fashion show!" wooyoung exclaimed, as the group walked to the auditorium after hearing the announcement inviting them all to get inside. san nodded, "yeah, seonghwa-hyung will model as well. it's for the closing ceremony." </p><p>upon hearing that, the others turned to him. "wait, does that mean that you knew about all this?" y/n asked, brows furrowing. san shook his head almost immediately, "no, he just told me this morning as well. he said it was like a tradition so he thought we already know." </p><p>the atmosphere immediately changed once they enter the big auditorium. since the seats are divided by major, they had to separate ways. before they did, anyway, he tapped y/n on the shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. </p><p>"don't be nervous, okay?" he grinned, and y/n rolled her eyes. she shoved him away, "i should be the one saying that." </p><p>san smiled at her, thankful that she didn't seem nervous at all. until yesterday she would ask him if they did well every one minute, growing restless each time. they watched a movie together, a shitty one actually but it was able to take her mind off of the project. he had told her from the beginning, and keep reminding her that the grades don't matter. they did well in the end though, in san's opinion. so the grades are fully up to their professor's opinion. they have done their best. </p><p>"see you later, y/n." he waved, and she nodded. </p><p>little did san know, that y/n was hiding something from him. </p><p>***</p><p>"mingi, what do i do." y/n whispers to her best friend almost as soon as they sat down, making sure no one could hear her. mingi raised his brow. "what?" </p><p>y/n bit her lip, contemplating if she should tell him or not. she then shook her head, "nevermind." </p><p>as she did so, the ceremony began. after some speech about looking for a bright year ahead and some other announcements of achievements from last year, they finally arrive at the main part of the ceremony. at the stage, someone familiar approached it with confident steps. </p><p>"good morning to everyone, especially my adored juniors of performing arts. i'm park seonghwa, a second-year dance-major student who will announce the top pair of the dance and film portfolio," seonghwa spoke in a cool and collected tone, but it didn't stop y/n from fiddling her fingers together. mingi noticed and knew that it was a habit if she was nervous but decided not to say anything.</p><p>on the screen behind him, it showed his CV and he was introduced as the last year's top dance-major student. it was no surprise, and the first-year students stared at him in admiration. </p><p>"until last year, every first portfolio was done by each major respectively. but this year our campus decided to make something new, with making collaboration between majors. after a week of hard work and determination, i believe every pair of students had tried their best. but only one pair will be given this award. one pair that passed the qualification made by our professors, masters at their element." </p><p>seonghwa paused, eyes scanning the crowd in front of him. y/n's breath hitched in her throat. her hands were already sweaty, as she clasped them together in effort to calm herself down. mingi patted her back, trying to ease her worries even though he doesn't really know what she's nervous about. he himself didn't feel worried, because if he and yunho were the ones to won, it wasn't his part to perform in front of everyone. that's why he's kind of confused at y/n's current situation.</p><p>"after grading each project, one pair has stood above the others. and with this i will announce them," seonghwa paused, and y/n stopped fidgeting, opting to take a deep breath instead. she leaned into mingi's side, and only then mingi remembered something. </p><p>y/n always gets fidgety and nervous after lying about something, the intensity depends on how 'crucial' the lie is. she is the definition of a bad liar. </p><p>"congratulations to the pair of dance-major choi san, and cinematography-major l/n y/n!" </p><p>when those words left seonghwa's mouth, chaos ensues. mingi hugged her tightly, laughing so hard. yeosang clapped from beside her, smiling fondly. at the dance-major's row, wooyoung's loud scream could be heard in the whole auditorium. everyone else clapped, as the preview of their project was shown on the screen. it was right at the first chorus, showing the scene from the lake then transitioned smoothly to the opera, and ended with a close look on san's face which left audible gasps here and there. </p><p>"to said students, please do come to the stage." </p><p>y/n's leg felt wobbly as mingi pushed her, and she doesn't know how she managed to walk down the stairs without tripping. from the other wing, she could see san smiling widely, as some of his friends patted his shoulder and congratulated him. </p><p>"we won!" he exclaimed happily as he got closer, and y/n doesn't know that it took all san's right mind not to hug her right then and there. </p><p>"i knew." </p><p>san was smiling widely, from ear to ear, but then his brows furrowed upon realizing what y/n said. </p><p>"wait, what?" </p><p>but she ignored him, as she walks faster to the stage. san followed with a questioning look on his face but it was gone upon seeing seonghwa who was smiling at him proudly at the stage. after receiving the little trophy from their professor and had their pictures taken, they were guided backstage by seonghwa. here comes the big part. </p><p>backstage was filled by their seniors in charge of this ceremony, all busy with their own parts as seonghwa guided them to a waiting room. </p><p>"now sannie, you have to change into this. the make-up team will come in five minutes, and if it goes as the rundown you will perform in twenty minutes." seonghwa went straight to the point, handing him a bag of clothes from the cupboard. it had hongjoong's logo on the bag, and san was surprised to find a new pair of customized clothes inside. </p><p>"and y/n, you've sent the audio to hyejin, right?" seonghwa turned to y/n, and she nodded. "great. i'll come to fetch you guys later." </p><p>and he left as soon as they arrived. san took this as an opportunity to ask y/n what she meant, as he walked to the drapes at the corner of the room to change. </p><p>"the thing is, my professor sent me the wrong e-mail last night." before san could muster a question, y/n beat him to it. she paced around the room. "he was supposed to send the grading result to a senior in charge of this ceremony. i opened it thinking it was something else and found out that we won. he asked me not to tell you or anyone just yet, and apologized that he ruined the moment for me." y/n sighed, and she sounded so guilty. so that was the reason her eyes didn't meet his when they spoke this morning, unlike usual. </p><p>san peeked from inside the curtains, only his head popping out. "why do you sound so guilty? it's okay, it's not your fault at all." he stayed in that position to stare at her, as y/n hasn't looked at him yet. </p><p>"because i lied. i don't like lying." </p><p>san smiled softly. "hey, look at me." y/n huffed. "you're in the middle of changing clothes." this made san roll his eye, "only my head is out, idiot." </p><p>at the use of the word, her head snapped. san grinned. "you did lie, but it was nothing serious. if this will make you feel better, i forgive you." he shuffled back into the curtains, and stepped outside. "now help me button this because i can't reach them." </p><p>only then y/n noticed the new customized pair that hongjoong made. it was still a black satin dress shirt, which is also see-through, but this time the back had some lacy strings that had to be tied together. in contrast, there were no deep v-cut on the chest like the previous one. y/n carefully tied the laces together, and they formed an upside-down triangle. the diamonds sprinkled on the shirt was more than before, and it will surely blink beautifully under the light. the dress pants were high-waist and it only emphasizes san's slender figure. he had such a small waist for a man and y/n only noticed that now. </p><p>"there you go," she said, and san turned around. given her last action, now that they were face to face it was closer than she expected, and suddenly y/n felt nervous of the proximity. san didn't move earlier, instead, he stared down at her with a look she can't understand. </p><p>"y/n," he called out her name so softly, that y/n felt all mushy inside. there, again, that weird feeling in her stomach. "hmm?" she replied, not breaking eye contact. heat started to rose from her neck, and she worried that the redness would've been too visible. </p><p>but all of a sudden there was a knock at the door, and it was as if a spell has been broken between them. they both jumped and moved away from each other as the door swung open, revealing hongjoong and two other seniors they don't know. </p><p>"alright let's get to work, we need to doll you up san." he motioned for him to sit, and not missing a beat san walked over. he hoped y/n didn't notice the redness on his ears, but as he peeked over through the mirror in front of him, the blush on y/n's face was there. it wasn't so visible, but san notices and it was cute. he held back a smile and closed his eyes as the seniors began doing his makeup. </p><p>"congratulations, y/n." he heard hongjoong said, and he could hear her saying thank you. "you sure have eyes for this kind of thing, huh?" hongjoong initiated a conversation, and san listened along. </p><p>"do you want to work with me on my upcoming project?" hongjoong asked, and san expected y/n to jump at the opportunity as she admired him a lot. but y/n asked him what was the project about. "hmm, i'll give you the details after this. for now, let's just focus on the performance." </p><p>the makeup for his eyes was done, so san was able to open his eyes. at the same time, seonghwa barged into the room, reminding them that there are only ten minutes left. san took a deep breath, starting to feel nervous. </p><p>***</p><p>y/n was not a fan of big crowds. she doesn't like the idea of doing something where it would have everyone's attention on her. instead, she likes to work behind the curtains, showing people different points of view on something. but if she had to, she will try to do her best. but since that never happened to her, she doesn't know how to handle that kind of situation. which leads to her not knowing what to say to san. </p><p>he just finished warming up, and now they were waiting backstage. y/n looked at him, and although his expression was normal, she knew that he feels a little uneasy. y/n gulped.</p><p>"hey," she shifted closer, her arm brushing his. san looked at her in an instant, and it was clear that there was worry in his eyes. "you'll do great. i don't know the right words to say at this kind of moment, but i know you have it in you." </p><p>she smiled at him, that genuine smile that reaches her eyes, and san felt his heartbeat quickened if it wasn't already before. he nodded. "i've performed in front of people before, but it wasn't something official like this. plus, we won, so it kinda made me nervous and the whole campus is here." he voiced his worries, letting himself be vulnerable in front of her. back then in the waiting room,  he tried to play it cool in front of hongjoong and seonghwa. but in front of y/n, he knows he can just be himself and she won't judge him for it. </p><p>y/n bit her lip. another habit san picked up, was a sign that she is unsure of what to say, or to do. he smiles at her, "you don't have to say anything. just by being here already helps." he chuckled, and if it was for another moment y/n would've blushed or something but her brain couldn't process it. she wanted to <em>help</em>. so out of nowhere, with the courage she never thought she had, y/n intertwined their fingers together. </p><p>first, it was her right hand, then her left hand also find san's right one. now they were face to face, and y/n's thumb rubbed san's hands. his hands were sweaty, but she didn't mind. </p><p>"i don't know this will help or not, but," she paused, looking up to find san's attention is fully on her. y/n fight back her blush at the gaze. "you're an amazing dancer. i'm even sure that you're born for this, and to perform in front of so many people. either to inspire or to entertain them; you're born to be a <em>star</em>. and this could be the first time for you to officially shine, to show yourself to the world." y/n couldn't even believe the words sputtering out of her own mouth, but this is all she can do to help. </p><p>"i don't know much about dance, but i know two things for sure. one is that you're born for this, and two, you will absolutely nail this." she tries to express her feelings through words, and this is all she got. she smiled at him, hoping san could receive the message and finally calm down. to her surprise, he suddenly squeezed her hands. </p><p>"thank you." and he smiled. that smile where his lips pursed against each other, and his eyes squinted adorably. the glittery makeup for his eyes only made him more gorgeous. even his dimples were showing. </p><p>sounds of footsteps approached them, and seonghwa came into view. if he saw them holding hands, he didn't say anything. "san, two more minutes." </p><p>san nodded, and slowly let go of y/n's hands. she waved as he walked away, and mouthed 'fighting!'. san's chest felt like it was going to explode, as now he is filled with warmth and maybe also butterflies in his stomach. he may have his experience on relationships, but surely none of that was as homey and warm as how y/n made him feel. </p><p>***</p><p>after san left, hongjoong came and show her a spot from backstage where she could still watch the stage. they both stood together at the corner, as the lights dimmed. the only ones left were the ones on stage and beneath them was san, entering the stage with confident steps. the auditorium was silent, waiting for him to start. </p><p>and it felt like a déjà vu to y/n, which reminded her of the shooting at the abandoned opera. the cue was heard, and she counted inside her mind. </p><p><em>1</em>, san closed his eyes. <em>2</em>, he raised his hands above his head, taking a deep breath, and <em>3</em>, he started moving them like the motion of wings flapping and the instrumental for black swan began. </p><p>as it started, everything else was a blur. she could hear hongjoong saying something beside her, but she couldn't make out the words. her attention was fully on san and san alone, dancing on the stage as naturally as ever. his energy, his movements, how he executes each part perfectly never missing a beat. how his expressions literally were the embodiment of the song, and it reminded y/n again of the reason why he chose this song. </p><p>she couldn't take his eyes off of him. it kind of looked like a slow-motion to her, as she also memorized the parts. her heart beats loud and fast as it goes on, feeling anxious but also excited watching his performance. as it neared the end, she made sure to memorize this very moment in her heart. how she made sure that san is her favorite dancer, ever, and she is his number one fan. she wants to keep watching him dance, supporting him, and do projects with him. he is her inspiration, and y/n felt like she could do anything if she had him by her side. </p><p>the performance ended, and all of a sudden y/n's senses were flooded by the loud cheers and claps, and standing ovations from most of the attendance in the room. some of the professors even stood up as well and shook their heads proudly. she could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes and as she watches san bowed, she immediately sprints backstage, ignoring hongjoong calling for her. </p><p>she doesn't know why or what was the reason she felt this way. why she felt so comfortable around san, or why they clicked almost immediately. why it felt like finding something she has been looking for all this time. all that she knows, is she wants to embrace him in a big hug right now.</p><p>and so she did. </p><p>she wasted no time throwing herself into san's arms, hugging him tightly. the boy tensed, clearly surprised, but he didn't push her away. instead, he hugged her back just as tight and they stayed like that for a few seconds. </p><p>"y/n? i'd hate to break the moment but i'm all sweaty now," he whispered, head resting on top of her shoulder. she shook her head. "don't care." </p><p>san chuckled, her voice sounded hoarse. "wait, are you crying?" he asked, and at that y/n let go of him and wipes the tears away. "these are happy tears." she muttered, and san felt like he was going to melt at how adorable she looks like right now. </p><p>"aww, come here." he cooed, and y/n groaned but let him anyway. he wiped her tears for her, smiling softly all the while. if there was anyone around right now, they couldn't bother to care. (thankfully seonghwa saw them and ushered everyone away to give them privacy) </p><p>"i need to tell you something." san said softly as he cupped her cheeks. "i know this is too fast and i don't want you to feel uncomfortable, you don't have to answer me now. but i would like to get to know you better. like, what you like and don't like, what makes you happy, what makes you sad. i want to be with you in your happiest, and help you when you're feeling low. i want to support you with everything i got, and hell, i just want to be <em>with</em> you." </p><p>san waited for a response, and when y/n doesn't say anything and only stared back at him with glassy eyes, he thought he messed up. did he falsely read her actions? did she do all that because she saw him as a good friend? he was about to let go of her cheeks, only for her to hold them at its' place. </p><p>"i know nothing about this kind of stuff, but i agree on one thing. i want to be <em>with</em> you too." </p><p>and after that, the biggest smiles were plastered on their faces. san pinched her cheeks, and she groaned. "what was that for?" she rubbed her cheeks, glaring at san. he chuckled. "you just looked so cute." </p><p>saying that it was butterflies in their stomach was an understatement because a whole damn zoo just paraded right now, and it won't be the last time for the both of them. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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